Commissioner Bohannon states, Regional Sewer Board is a "Dead Man Walking"

Wednesday, September 3, 2025 at 3:00 AM

By Kathy Bottorff

Marshall County Commissioner Jesse Bohannon gave the other commissioners an update on his visit to Indianapolis last Thursday on the evolving regional sewer district.

During a morning meeting with Governor Braun, Bohannon presented him with a letter from the County Commissioners and one from the County Council requesting his personal attention on the issue.

Bohannon said he was joined in the meeting with Councilman Tim Harman and Councilwoman Nicole Cox. After they met with the governor, they visited with representatives of the Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM). Bohannon said they presented their case and felt like they received a warm welcome. He said,” I feel like they understood where we are coming from.”

Bohannon told the commissioners there was a bit of pushback from a representative from the State Revolving Fund. He said, “he was playing the devil's advocate a little bit.”

Bohannon said, “If there was any hesitation from IDEM, it is because our request is unprecedented.” While state statute gives the authority to the IDEM Commissioner to dissolve the board, it’s never been done before.

There was a desire for the county to foster communication and try to create some common ground between the commissioners, council, and the sewer board.

Commissioner Bohannon said, “As was stated in the joint session, this sewer district is a ‘Dead Man Walking.’ Either IDEM is going to dissolve it here in the next couple of months, or the judge in Elkhart County will give us the authority, will affirm our authority to replace board members, and we will be able to replace board members and change the direction of the district in that way, or over the next 18 months, between the council and commissioners we have the ability to appoint, just because of expiration of terms a majority of member of the board.” He went on to say, “The only question in my mind is how much money will this board spend before the project is ended, because it will end in my humble opinion.”